Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity as Binders for both Acidic and Alkaline Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis

In this work a new polymeric binder (PIM-1) to prepare and characterize composite material to form cathodes for the oxygen reduction reaction has been investigated and discussed. The new binder is a Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIM), a family of organic compounds with molecularly rigid (glassy) structure with good mechanical and chemical stability. Their influence on electrocatalytic behaviour of a commercial electro- catalyst during the oxygen reduction reaction in acidic and alkaline media has been investigated and discussed compared to the behaviour of common cationic and anionic polymer binders, using rotating disk electrode (RDE) techniques. Poly- mers of intrinsic microporosity perform similarly well, and sometimes better (due to rigidity and gas permeation), when compared to commercial binders. Thus, polymers of intrinsic microporosity do represent a very promising and versatile alternative as binder in electrocatalysis.